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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. tear — to rip
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bank — for money
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. march — the month
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. tear — from crying
  15. march — the month
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — in music
  20. march — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bank — for money
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com